Cleaning and maintenance of out of reach lighting fixtures is often a problem for homeowners and maintenance personnel. With the increasing popularity of cathedral ceilings and raised entrance ways, ceiling lighting fixtures are commonly being mounted 10 to 15 feet above floor level, requiring the use of a ladder in order to perform routine cleaning and maintenance.
It has been recognized that a device for raising and lowering a lighting fixture for servicing, such as cleaning or replacement of light bulbs, overcomes the safety problems associated with utilizing a ladder to reach an elevated fixture. Several systems for raising and lowering lighting fixtures to permit service and cleaning have been proposed. One known system utilizes a lowering mechanism for a light fixture having a drive motor and a braking mechanism. This systems provides a flexible stainless steel ribbon which is unwound from a drum to lower a light fixture. This system requires the use of a specific ceiling mounting plate having two exposed contacts, and a canopy at the top of the light fixture having matching electrical contacts to provide electricity to the light fixture when the lighting fixture is in the fully raised position. When the fixture is lowered from its uppermost, in use position, power to the fixture is interrupted. Because power to the fixture is interrupted as soon as it is lowered, it is not possible to check which light bulbs are burned out when the fixture is in the lowered, service position. Additionally, the contacts at the fixed ceiling mounting plate can become corroded, requiring the user to use a ladder or other means of access to the fixed ceiling mounting plate to clean the contacts.
In another known system, the lighting fixture is raised and lowered by a hoist mechanism utilizing a gear motor. A ceiling mounted junction box includes a first set of contacts for supplying electricity to the light fixture, and the canopy junction box, attached to the light fixture, includes a second set of contacts for receiving electricity. When the light fixture is lowered from the ceiling, no electricity is provided to the light fixture. Additionally, the use of fixed, ceiling mounted contacts which can become corroded still may require someone to climb a ladder to clean the contacts.
Another known system utilizes a mechanically operated carriage which is moved in a reciprocal, sliding motion between first and second positions to raise and lower a light fixture. The light fixture is supported by a flexible conductor which has one end connected to the fixture and an intermediate portion extending around part of the carriage. Movement of the carriage displaces the intermediate portion of the flexible conductor to raise or lower the fixture. This system only allows for limited vertical movement of a light fixture based on the available horizontal movement of the carriage. Additionally, this system can only be utilized for light weight light fixtures because the light fixture is supported by the flexible conductor. Repeated use with an overweight fixture can result in damage to the conductor.
The present invention resulted from the inventor's observation of the problems with the prior art systems and his successful efforts to solve them. The present invention, therefore, is directed toward a system for raising and lowering light fixtures which provides electricity to the light fixture when it is in the lowered, service position.